Somewhere Only We Know
by AliceE.Silverstone
Summary: This is a KatNep fic I came up with when I listened to Somewhere only we know by Keane Hope you guys like it. Also I gave Karkat a little something extra in this fic. Hope you like it w don't forget to comment as well.


Nepeta bounded home from her recent hunt, kill in tow behind her. Its rust blood dripping from the small, yet lethal, wounds she had inflicted. Pounce de Leon cantered out of their cave to greet Nepeta, roaring happily as she drew near. "Hey pounce look I got us an entire chlorbear." Nepeta chirped.

Pounce purred closing the distance between them, she licked Nepeta affectionately with one of her mouths the other licked its lips hungrily. "Hold on Pounce I'll have dinner ready soon. I need to get its blood first okay?" Nepeta chuckled nuzzling her lusus..

Pounce meowed agreeingly, but suddenly her ears twitched and she fell silent her eyes darting to the near by brush. Nepeta tensed and followed Pounce's gaze to the brush in front of her cave. She crouched, something was moving behind the greenery and it was colossal.

She and Pounce crouched into their stalking positions, creeping closer to the movement ahead. Nepeta could hear a screech come from the behind the shrubbery.

"What do you think it is?" Nepeta asked looking to Pounce, but the cat beast's olive green eyes were fixed on her next target; it made Nepeta smile as she watched her lusus creep closer silently, stalking the mystery beast.

Through the branches of the shrubbery they hid in Nepeta could make out flashes of grey and a strange bright pink as they flurried around a large white beast.

They drew closer to the end of the underbrush and could see the beast closely now. It was a large white crab, screeching and swinging its large claws at something, but all Nepeta could make out were flashes of grey and pink.

"What's going on here?" She mumbled to herself, trying to follow the action in the field. Her grey eyes darted to where the bright flash of color would appear, but even with the keen and developed eyes of a huntress she was at a loss, she couldn't make out what it was that was striffing it out with the crab beast.

The large crab swung its larger right claw, making contact with the blur of movement that had been striking at its shell mercilessly. The blur let out a loud FUCK as it was swatted from the air like a fly; it stuttered in its movements but went back to attacking the crab beast.

Nepeta's ears perked up at the sound of the familiar voice "Is that…?" She mumbled watching more closely now. The blurr was still in constant motion and the crab was screeching constantly, but it didn't sound like it was in pain. It sounded more like an encouraging call.

Nepeta's curiosity piqued she decided to move a bit closer to get a better look, but as she made to inch closer Pounce laid a large heavy paw on her back to keep the eager young troll where she was. What ever was going on in the little clearing before them Pounce deemed it dangerous and decided to do her job as Nepeta's lusus.

Nepeta sighed and obeyed Pounce's silent insistence. She watched intently as the blur continued to strike and avoid the crabs counter attacks. The crab changed its stance and screeched loudly, and as if in response the blurr slowed down substantially until it became a backflipping form; finally it was fully visible. It was a troll with two brightly colored scythes in either hand that gleamed, sharp and deadly under the pink and green alternian moons.

The young troll did graceful backflips as they moved away from the crab, to land silently in a fighting stance half way across the clearing from the beast. Nepeta could see the sign of its long sleeved shirt, a grey cancer sign, and atop his head two nub like horns, she knew this troll

Nepeta's eyes widened as she watched Karkat's heaving mass scythes in hand across from the large crab that now sported fresh gashes in its shell. It screeched and clacked its claws at Karkat and he nodded in response.

He let go of one of his scythes and made a cut on the now unoccupied hand with the other. He hissed and growled in pain as his candy red blood began to flow from his fresh wound beginning to form into a bright red blade.

He looked nervous, with good reason Nepeta had never seen something like that in her 6 sweeps. His frantic eyes searched his surroundings like he was expecting someone to be there and see him; which is exactly what he found. His eyes widened as they settled on Nepeta, they held true terror as Nepeta gazed back at him. Karkat looked terrified even, to find that someone had seen his training with Crabdad.

Nepeta was amazed to see such a grieved expression in place of his usual scowl, but most of all the brightness of the red that flowed from his wound left her in awe. She looked at Pounce pleadingly asking to be let go, Pounce nodded her head slowly and lifted her heavy paw from her young charge. Her eyes holding concern in their deep green depths as she watched Nepeta reveal herself from the underbrush to face Karkat, just as Nepeta's held the same concern for her friend.

Pounce followed suit behind Nepeta as to make sure no harm came to her, making the young troll smile. They walked together to the petrified Karkat, Nepeta's hand running through Pounce's soft white fur.

As they approached all Karkat wanted to was run as fast as he could back to his hive, to hide the rest of his life like he had been doing, but he was stuck. His terror left his trained muscles frozen in place. He was sure Nepeta had revealed herself only to cull him, this was going to be his end.

Crabdad nudged Karkat slightly looking down only to meet with the concentrated horror that came from his eyes. Crabdad looked back at the two that were ahead of them and screeched loudly, the Cat Beast stopped immediately, but the olive blooded troll walked on.

Crabdad had to protect Karkat above all else so he stepped in front of his charge holding him close behind him as the young troll shivered. The olive blood did not stop unintimidated by the gargantuan crab's size. He glared at her with his beady eyes.

Nepeta however was paying no mind to the Crab her eyes were focused on Karkat and the beautiful hue that dripped down his fingertips, she was sure she'd seen it before, in a dream.

Crabdad followed her gaze to Karkat's wound and screeched.

She tore her eyes from Karkat to see the crab lunging her way but Pounce jumped in between her and the beast taking most of the impact of the crabs heavy claw. The two lusi, now preoccupied with each other payed little attention to their young charges.

Nepeta took advantage of this to run closer to where Karkat stood but when she refocused on him he was gone, the only evidence of his being there a few drops of red on the green valley's grass.

Crabdad looked back to see Karkat had escaped and turned to do the same only to have Pounce tackle him snarling with animosity. Nepeta ran to Pounce pulling at the scruff of her neck. "Let him go Pounce he has to go after Karkat." Nepeta pleaded but Pounce would not let up, so Nepeta bounded into the forest that surrounded the clearing.

If Karkat's Lusus wasn't going anywhere she had to keep him safe. She ran after Karkat following the slight signs of his passing, drops of bright red and broken twigs that littered the forest floor. She was getting closer now, she could see flashes of grey up ahead and the brush was left swaying.

"Karkat comeback!" She called, but he did not stop running he picked up his pace trying desperately to escape what he was sure was to be his demise at the hands of an autistic cat girl.

Back in the clearing, as soon as Nepeta disappeared behind the dark forest branches Pounce ceased her snarling and climbed off Crabdad, who clacked at her with his claws. He was going to make after the two young trolls but Pounce stood in his way. She meowed at Crabdad and he responded with a few clacks. She lay down in the soft meadow grass and he did the same as soon as he hauled over the fresh chlorbear that is.

Meanwhile Nepeta ran as fast as she could following the last drops of Karkat's blood trail. The wound is beginning to clot that was purrty fast Nepeta thought as the spots of red became more and more sparse, she was glad at least she knew he wouldn't bleed out.

She could see the last specs of bright red lead to another clearing with many hives, "This must be where his lawn ring is." Nepeta said to herself. She never found the appeal in living in one of these places, and she didn't like being there either, but this was for Karkat; she had to make sure he was alright.

She cautiously made her way around the lawn rings eyes darting about for signs of Karkat when her eyes settled on one particular hive. This was the only hive that had bright red awnings outside that blocked the windows from the harmful sunlight; but what told Nepeta this was Karkat's hive was the ever so welcoming FUCK OFF sign at the lawn ring's edge.

Nepeta chuckled to herself as she walked to it thinking Oh I'm Karkat my blood color's a secret Vantas. Even though its all over my hive. It was pretty comical to her that his blood color was plastered all over his hive when he made such a big deal about hiding it; it made Nepeta giggle, Karkat was so weird and funny to her.

She was at the front door now, so she took a deep breath and knocked on it gently. "Karkat, um, may I come in?" She asked leaning her forehead on the cool door.

There wasn't a sound from behind the door which only made Nepeta's cheeks flush olive. Was he even here anymore, was this really his hive? She wasn't sure but everything pointed to it being his, so she tried again.

"Karkat, please let me in, I just want to talk to you." She said as she knocked, she heard a rustling behind the door and then came his loud angry voice.

"FUCK NO, NOW GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY HIVE." His voice was loud and angry but it held something else, it sounded as though his voice was wavering. "I DON'T WANT TO GET CULLED TODAY OKAY, SO FUCK OFF, please."

Is he crying? Nepeta thought to herself, she set her head on the door again sighing deeply. She had to get a chance to explain things to him, she had to talk to him. But what would she really say, sorry I was spying on you and got to see the beautiful color that runs through your veins?

Nepeta had come with no real plan to talk to him, she had just ran after Karkat without thinking. She sighed and defeatedly walked back to the edge of his lawn ring and waited for Karkat's lusus to come home, he needed someone to look after him after all.

Nepeta sat outside his hive until the dawn could be seen peeking over the horizon, she had to get inside. The alternian sun was too harsh to be out in the daylight hours, but where was she to go? She doubted Karkat would allow her to use his recuperacoon for the day willingly now.

She turned to Karkat's hive, her eyes searching for a cozy looking shaded spot to spend the day resting; but they found something better. One of Karkat's windows was open and the awnings made it easy enough to climb up to it.

Nepeta scampered over to the nearest awning and jumped on to it, this was going to be easy for her. She gripped the awning using her sharp claws to keep a firm grip on the red cloth.

She looked up there were two awnings to get to before the window, so as not to waste time she leaped into the air and grabbed onto the next awning. She was just one more bound away from the window, so she readied her stance shimmied closer to the next awning and lept.

She was in the air but she had miscalculated something, her previous perspective had her thinking the awning was only a leap away. She was a good four feet farther than what she had thought, she was going to fall

Gravity was working its magic, she was falling, she closed her eyes as the wind brushed her skin and was about to scream when something caught her wrist.

She was dangling and her wrist hurt so she opened her eyes to see yellow claws digging into her. Her eyes traveled farther up to see a large grey cancer sign. She smiled her eyes focusing on Karkat's frowning face, he had caught her as she fell. My hero she thought breaming up at him.

Karkat just scowled at her belated expression and pulled her up into his respite block. The sun was just hovering over the horizon now, they had to get tugged Nepeta up to let her into his respite block to see her grinning stupidly at him.

She was so glad she could finally speak to him. She tumbled through his window only to have her rescuer go for a trip himself. He lost his footing as he stepped back and tripped over his cluttered belongings.

The two young trolls fell inside the respiteblock, Nepeta landing atop her flush crush her cheeks flushed olive green. She stuttered and stammered in attempted apology only to be met with a curt "Get the fuck off."

She ceased her stuttering and pushed off the floor, "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, turned away as to hide her almost a pure green cheeks. She had made a fool of herself in Karkat's hive, she felt like jumping out of the window she had just stumbled through.

"So," Karkat said his voice hoarse and angry, just how she liked it, "What the fuck were you trying to break into my fucking hive for? Want to cull me?" He asked his voice cracking as he went on. "Go a-fucking-head, I couldn't care less now, I'm so fucking tired of keeping my blood a secret." His voice hiccuped every now and again and Nepeta knew even without turning to face him, Karkat was crying.

She turned to face Karkat a sad smile on her features as she took in his fragile state. He was shaking and covering his face with an arm, while the other remained balled in a fist at his side. His whole body was tensed, expecting a blow from Nepeta's claws; but that blow would never come. What she did made him tense more for a second, but he hiccuped a small sob and relaxed into her embrace.

"I would never cull you Karkat, never, never ever. I really couldn't care less about your blood, or anything like that, okay?" Nepeta said nestling on the floor with Karkat, who remained a silent shivering mass in her arms, she just held him close and patted his head a small "Shoosh" escaping her lips.

Karkat breathed in and out taking in her scent, Nepeta's scent of Alternia, leaves, and flowers, it was a comforting scent it felt familiar to him. He relaxed and let his hands wrap around her as he calmed down. Nepeta stiffened but didn't make to move away.

Karkat held on to her as his breaths resumed their normal pace and his tears ceased. He wiped away pale red tears and lifted his head to face Nepeta. Now fully composed, he saw her smiling at him; but this smile didn't reach her eyes and it made Karkat feel uneasy. She looked too sullen to him, it felt unnatural to see her like that, she was supposed to be a bundle of joy.

His eyes lingered on her features making a faint green appear on her cheeks again, but he did not stop analyzing her face. She has to smile again, he thought one of the smiles that makes her nose crinkle and her eyes glow. "Nepeta," he said as he stared.

"Yes?" she answered looking flustered and a little confused under his sudden stare.

"Do you want to see something that I've never shown anyone?" Karkat asked, his grey eyes sparking with a sense of mystique Nepeta had never seen before, she liked it.

"Okay Karkat, if you want to." She smiled again, it was that unnatural smile.

Karkat downplayed it saying "Well if I'm telling you of course I want to fucking show you."

Nepeta chuckled, Karkat was starting to get back to his usual grumpy self and she was glad. "Okay then, show me." she said looking up at him as he stood.

"It's not here idiot we have to go to Kanaya's hive for it." He said holding out a hand to her. "I think you'll love it, knowing you." He said as he helped Nepeta to her feet, not let her go when she stood.

She looked down at their hands smiling slightly, this was a real smile, but not what he was looking for, it wasn't bright enough. He needed to see her goofy grin again to feel satisfied, and what he had to show her was sure to bring that about, at least he hoped it would; though the Alternian sun was still too high up in the sky now.

"Damn guess that will have to wait for a while." Karkat cursed, and looking over his shoulder at Nepeta said "I'm sorry I ran away earlier."

Nepeta's eyes widened in surprise, "No don't apologize it's fine really I would have done the same, especially if my blood were that special." She smiled halfheartedly again and turned away to hide her face.

"Anyway," she said wringing her hands nervously, "I don't mind if we stay here awhile. I bet we could kill sometime here." Nepeta said looking around her eyes scanning his respite block which settled on her favorite RomCom. She left him by the window and walked to the shelf by his desk and grubtop, she picked up the movie and faced Karkat. "We could watch this fur now, it's one of my fafurite movies."

Karkat read the longest title a movie could ever be given and grinned. "Oh hell fucking yeah I love that movie Troll Will Smith is great, not to mention Troll Kevin James and Troll Eva Mendes. Just turn on my grubtop, I was starting to watch it, before I caught you."

Nepeta smiled her half smile again and opened up the grubtop, and there it was, the main menu to what she considered one of the greatest movies in Troll Cinema. She pushed play and walked to the bed, grubtop in hand, to where Karkat waited.

They sat there together laughing at the hilarity of the movie, and Karkat could hear Nepeta sniffle when Troll Will Smith confessed his flushed feelings. There they stayed until the ending dance sequence started, and they laughed together when Troll Kevin James started to bust some moves. The end credits came on and that was when they realized how close they really were to each other.

Nepeta's head was nestled in the crook of Karkat's neck and his arm was mindlessly wrapped around her small shoulders; they fit into one another like a couple of puzzle pieces. Nepeta's eyes grew to the size of nourishment platters as she stood up first desperately trying to play it off as non-chalons stretching, Karkat wasn't buying it though.

He just chuckled at her and looked out the window the sun had gone down, it was always out for only a few hours, so now they could make their way to Kanaya's hive, but in the distance he could see his lusus approaching and he had Nepeta's lusus walking beside him.

"Look who finally fucking showed up." he said, Nepeta looked over his shoulder and squeaked.

"POUNCE! I'M OFURR HERE!" She called, Pounce gave her an answering roar, Nepeta's face split with a genuine smile, you could see the whole length of her fangs now and truth be told Karkat did a double take.

"No wonder you take down lusi ten times your size." He mumbled but she heard making her cover her fangs with her hand self consciously. "No I didn't mean it as a bad thing." He grumbled looking out at their lusi. "I actually think it's pretty cool that you can do that."

Nepeta smiled at him, her twinkling eyed smile and he had a feeling that this is what she was supposed to be, happy and grinning up at him. He could feel a distant nostalgia rumble in him as he looked into her bright eyes and remembered what was hidden deep beneath Kanaya's hive in the brooding caverns and why he wanted to show her.

"Hey, you know we can make the walk to Kanaya's now, so..." He said glancing at her from the corner of his eye to see her doing the same. Grey eyes lingered until she broke the contact and nodded.

"I'd love to see whatefurr it is you wanted to show me Karkitty." Karkat nodded once and made his way toward the door of his respite block with Nepeta close behind. Karkat held open the door for her as they walked out of his hive. They met with their lusi, where one of the two young trolls shared a loving embrace with lots of purring and the other had what sounded like an argument full of fuck you's and loud clacks of claws and some screeches.

In the end the four of them began the journey to Kanaya's hive. The trip was full of banter about different movies, most being RomComs, but there was the rare discussion of plots for action movies, or a horror flick.

The journey seemed to fly as they spoke with their lusi close behind them. Every now and again Karkat would look back at them and see what looked like a knowing glimmer in their eyes. He would just brush it off and keep talking with Nepeta. It wasn't long after his last glance back at the two beasts that they arrived at a hive that began as a cave to build up to a large tower like structure.

It was surrounded by trees and meadows and had colorful fabrics strune around it. "Wow this is really cool looking." Nepeta said her eyes alive with wonder as she looked up at the tall tower of Kanaya's hive.

"Haven't you ever seen it before? I mean you do visit our friends right?" Karkat asked, but he regretted the words as soon as he said them seeing how her face fell. Nepeta tried to hide it with a quick smile, but it didn't work he could see her sorrow, but why was it there?

"I only get to see Equius when he comes over and Aradia visited me efurry once in a while befur, oh and I get to see Terezi when I'm out hunting sometimes, but that's it, since I never really go into the lawn rings or anything, so…"

Karkat reached to touch her hand but thought against it and pulled back. Instead he walked on and called over to her "We should get inside now." He said his voice a bit crestfallen by his own cowardice.

He should have reassured her, he thought as he walked into Kanaya's hive; Nepeta hesitated outside the mouth of the cavern but followed him inside. Their lusi remained outside and gave each other one more glance before nestling close together.

"So are you, purrchance, going to tell me what it is you want to show me?" Nepeta asked tilting her head, but Karkat remained silent. She huffed with impatience but followed him up the long staircase to Kanaya's respite block.

Karkat looked back at her with a smile, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd smiled in someone's company, and here she brought it out without trying. They reached the top of the tower that opened into a large room with a wide window and balcony.

Kanaya was sitting in a chair that facing outside a book in hand. "Hey Kanaya," Karkat called.

Kanaya turned her head to see her good friend Karkat standing alongside none other than little Nepeta Leijon. She smiled to herself knowingly, irking Karkat substantially.

It was the same look the Lusi had given each other on the walk over. "Looks like you finally took me up on my advice Karkat." Kanaya said walking over to her friends.

Karkat's brow furrowed he was about to snap at the jade blood but Nepeta interrupted him. "What do you mean Kanaya?" She asked, but Karkat's scowling and Kanaya's silence gave nothing away.

She wanted to press for more but Kanaya made her way to her and held her hand ever so gently. "Nepeta," she said her, eyes locked with Nepeta's making the prior squirm. "Have you ever heard of the legend of the Signless?"

Nepeta tilted her head pensively but she couldn't think of the name. "No, I can't say I have, why do you ask?" Kanaya smiled sweetly at the small troll, but her eyes held a distant sorrow. "You see Nepeta we all have ancestors, you know that much don't you?" Kanaya asked.

Nepeta nodded, every troll on alternia knew that much, she actually felt kind of insulted to be asked. "Efurry grub on this rock knows that," Nepeta remarked, a sassy brow raised at Kanaya, she could see Karkat's lips turn upward a fraction at her sudden retort, her lips mirrored his in a small smile. "why do you ask?"

Kanaya stood holding Nepeta's hand and walked to the staircase she and Karkat had climbed mere minutes before. "Well, I believe our ancestors are, or were, connected to each other; mine, your's, and karkat's as well."

Nepeta tilted her head, unsure of what to say to that, so she just followed Kanaya down stairs past the opening of the hive down into the brooding caverns. "I'll start with the tale of The Sufferer," she began as they walked through the many caverns.

"The Signless or better know as The Sufferer was a great troll who was born very different from any other troll on Alternia, he was a prophet, Nepeta. He had dreams of a world without a hemospectrum, where there were no high or lowbloods and no prejudice." Kanaya held fast to Nepeta's hand as she spoke, leading her through the brooding caverns they had all once traversed as young grubs. "He dreamed of opening all of Alternia to this wondrous idea, to enlighten every troll that we didn't really need a caste system at all.

"He was someone many trolls respected and followed, he had many followers and a close few who were closer to him than anyone on all of Alternia. His guardian, Dolorosa, his moirail, The Ψiioniic, and the dearest of them all, someone who he loved so much that their connection to one another ascended all the quadrants. His Disciple, the one who followed him across land and sea to write down his sermons." Nepeta listened attentively to her friend, she could swear the names of the mother and moirail, were so familiar. Kanaya continued as they turned the final corner to reach a dead end. "He was close to achieving his goal when Her Imperious Condescension had the Subjugglators persecute him publicly. But he was not given a trial, he was sentenced to death, because of his ideals and because he was special Nepeta. He had a power the Condesce feared, he could control his blood."

Nepeta's eyes widened as she took in the scene before her, there were cancer signs drawn on the walls in all shades of the hemospectrum surrounding a single large candy red cancer sign. It was Karkat's blood color. Kanaya said that the Sufferer was someone who could control his blood and that he was like none other on Alternia; he was like Karkat. Her eyes began to water, pale green tears streamed down her cheeks as she approached the writing on the walls all the while Kanaya continued to speak.

"They pulled him away from his mother, his friend and his love, and made them all watch as they executed him, the Sufferer is named the after how much he suffered for the Alternian race because he cared so much. Even as they cut him, beat him, or cursed him a mutant he still cared for them all; and he hated that he did, but he couldn't help but love them. He gave all who watched his execution, one last thing to remember him by, his last sermon. He spoke of his vision to his last breath. At confirmation of his passing an executioner known as Darkleer was meant to kill off his followers, but he was unable to finish off the most devout of them all, the beloved Disciple was spared and left to live without her love until she died herself. She fled here to hide in the brooding caverns protected by the jade bloods that resided here. These are her writings on the walls. The Disciple was left alone to grieve in these caverns to record his teachings and continue his work, for The Ψiioniic was taken by the Condesce to pilot her ship with his psionic abilities and Dolorosa was taken aboard a great pirates ship to be her slave."

Nepeta came closer to the largest of the cancer signs in the cave and now she could see small olive and jade colored hearts, and a few mustard yellow diamonds surrounding the cherry red symbol. "How am I a part of this?" Nepeta asked cutting Kanaya off mid-sentence, the jade blood opened her mouth to speak but saw Karkat approach their friend. Quietly standing beside her he took hold of one of her hands and walked a bit further down to a small walled off section of the cave. There is where she began to truly sob, there was her sign, leo, drawn on the walls with olive blood and beside it was the cherry red cancer sign. There was an inscription below the two signs in olive blood that read "I will love you through all of time and space my dearest Signless, I miss you."

"This is what I wanted to show you Nepeta, do you know why?" Asked Karkat, Nepeta shook her head as tears continued to stream down her face. "Look at what's over here Nepeta, there's something else I want you to see before you cry your eyes out." Nepeta chuckled a sad little laugh and followed his gaze to the wall opposite the one which depicted her and Karkat's sign.

She hadn't thought her tears could flow anymore than they had been, but she was wrong, when she saw the crude rendition of herself and Karkat with nothing but hearts surrounding them her knees gave way and she fell to the floor a shivering sobbing mass. Karkat followed her down to her knees where he whispered in her ear the words she had so longed to hear him speak.

"I'm flushed for you Nepeta, I'm so flushed for you I don't know what to do with myself, but I was so afraid that you would hate what I am. I'm sorry it took so long for me to say this to you, I love you Nepeta."

Out in the dark corner of the cave stood a white eyed purple dressed Nepeta and next to her a red dressed Godtier Aradia. "Does this answer your question?" Aradia asked, Nepeta nodded wiping pale green tears from her eyes. "Do you want to go?" Aradia asked again, Nepeta just nodded again and they disappeared in a flash of red.

"I wish we would have never played this stupid game." Nepeta said returning to her dream bubble home where Pounce de Leijon waited licking her paws clean. "If we hadn't that could be my life right now." She continued wiping more tears away. Aradia just patted her head and flew off until she was nothing but a red speck in the distance. "Stupid fucking game." Nepeta said with bereft chuckle as she lay down and cuddled with Pounce waiting until the bubble dispersed into a new memory.


End file.
